Improved device for collecting gases from petroleum and other wells



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

H. M. HAMILTON, OF FRANKLIN, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED DEVICE FOR COLLECTING GASES FROM PETROLEUM AND OTHER WELLS.

Siecillcation forming part of Letters Patent No.` 43,20l, dated June 2l, 1854.

To aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, H. M. HAMILTON, of Franklin, in the county of Venan go and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Separating and Se` curing the Gases Emanating from Petroleum, Salt,and other Vells; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making a part of this specilication, in which- Figure l represents a vertical central section of my invention. Fig. 2 is aplan or top view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

This invention consists in the application to the upper end ot' the pipe or stock used for pumping petroleum, salt, and other wells of a chamber or series of chambers with two dis chargeopenings, one at or near the bottoln, through which the liquids which are brought up from the well descend to be conducted to their appropriate receptacle or tank, and the other opening in the Vtop of,said chamber, through which the gases emanating` from the well ascend to be conveyed to a tank or other proper vessel, from which they can be drawn and used for fuel or illumination.

To enable those skilled inthe art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed Vto describe it.

A repre rents the tube or stock ot' a. pump which serves to pump petroleum, salt, or other liquid from a well. This pump is provided with a plunger, B, and its piston-rod (l eX- tends upward through the chamber D and connects with a suitable lever or working beam, or with any other suitable mechanism by means ot' which a reciprocating motion can be imparted to the plunger. Theehamber D is secured to the top end of the pipe A, so that the liquid, which is raised by thepumping operation, discharges from said pipe immedi- 1 future use.

ately into the chamber. This chamber is provided with two apertures, a b, one at the bottom and the' other at the top, and pipes c d lead from said apertures to suitable tanks or vessels. The liquid which is raised by the pump collects at the bottom of the chamber D and discharges through the aperture a. and pipe c, being collected in a suitable tank for The gaseous products and vapors rising from the well with the liquid also collect in the chamber A, and they escape through the aperture b in the top ot said chamber and are conducted through the pipe d to a suitable tank or reservoir, troin which they can be drawn to be used for fuel or for illuminating purposes.

The separa-tion of the gaseous from the liquid products of a well is thus ci'ected in the simplest possible manner, no costly apparatus being' required, and the operation ot' pumping up the liquid from the well is not interfered with, and eau be conducted precisely in the same manner as with au ordinary pump. The gaseous products, which usually are allowed to escape in the open air, are collected and can be used with advantage as above stated, and at the same time, by evaporating the gases from the liquids, the operation ot' distilling` or evaporating said liquids is facilitated and the dan ger ot' an explosion is averted.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The application to the pipe or stock A of a pump used for pumping petroleum, salt, or other wells of a chamber, D, with two apertures, c b, one at the bottom to carry oft' the liquid and the other at the top to carry ott' the gase's, in the manner substantially as herein' 

